


Pancakes with a Side of Candor

by polkdots12



Series: Kurt's Pamphlets [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: Again, Episode Related, Episode: s03e05 The First Time, Humor, Kurt's Pamphlets, Reaction, Talking, also again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:34:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24865381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polkdots12/pseuds/polkdots12
Summary: But breakfast in Kurt’s book typically consists of organic eggs and smoked salmon and unbuttered toast, or sugar-free, gluten-free, everything-free granola with dried fruit and low-fat yoghurt. In fact, the last time Burt remembers his son making pancakes on a weekday was when Kurt had accidentally stained all his white socks pink in an unfortunate laundry incident. Weekday pancakes are Kurt’s way of easing into conversations, his code for “I have to tell you something, but I don’t know how.”OR:Burt is back from DC after the events of 3x05. Kurt makes him pancakes and they talk. Kurt might or might not die from embarrassment, but at least he receives some good advice.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Burt Hummel & Kurt Hummel
Series: Kurt's Pamphlets [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799107
Comments: 18
Kudos: 95





	Pancakes with a Side of Candor

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not actually obsessed with pamphlets, I promise.

“Kurt Hummel, what did you do?” Burt exclaims to an empty kitchen upon discovering the stack of still-warm pancakes his son left for him on the counter. Granted, they are probably made with spelt flour or coconut sugar or some such healthy thing, but still, they are _pancakes._ There’s blueberries and maple syrup and yoghurt too (full-fat yoghurt, Burt realizes with apprehension), all laid out carefully next to the plate and orange juice and freshly-brewed coffee on their kitchen table. With a sigh, Burt takes the pancakes from the counter and makes his way over to sit down.

It isn’t Kurt’s thoughtfulness that alarms him. He got back in from his trip to DC late the previous night, alone, since Carole stayed to visit some friends and their newborn baby. He just greeted his boys, then fell straight into bed, ready to sleep off a frankly exhausting trip. Of course, with Carole not around, Kurt made him breakfast before leaving for school this morning, as he has always done since Burt had a health scare.

But breakfast in Kurt’s book typically consists of organic eggs and smoked salmon and unbuttered toast, or sugar-free, gluten-free, everything-free granola with dried fruit and low-fat yoghurt. In fact, the last time Burt remembers his son making pancakes on a weekday was when Kurt had accidentally stained all his white socks pink in an unfortunate laundry incident. He left out a pink sock with a note saying “Sorry” right next to his plate. Before that, there was the astronomical phone bill, courtesy of long conversations with one Blaine Anderson, the flyer for a show Kurt really wanted tickets to but didn’t know how to ask, another exasperating phone bill (“We’ll switch to landline, I promise,” scrawled on top of the bill) and the results of a Geography test gone spectacularly wrong. Weekday pancakes are Kurt’s way of easing into conversations, his code for “I have to tell you something, but I don’t know how.”

So, even if Kurt makes mean pancakes, Burt is more than a little wary as he arrives at their kitchen table, slowly puts down the tray, sits, then glances at whatever proof of guilt Kurt left out for him, right next to the maple syrup. It’s a pamphlet. It’s one of _the_ pamphlets, Burt realizes, the ones he got for Kurt down at the free clinic in a bid to educate him about sex. It happened a while ago, their sex talk, but Burt would recognize those brochures anywhere. He did tell the kid to come to him with any questions, so he only panics a little bit as he douses his pancakes in maple syrup. He might have to talk about bum stuff tonight. He deserves all the sugar he can get. He knows that maybe this shouldn’t be his first thought upon seeing the pamphlet, but damn, he’s still working on himself, still learning, too.

He looks at Kurt’s scribbled note with some trepidation. And oh. _Oh!_ Not what he expected. But it’s not all that surprising either. Burt starts spooning the full-fat yoghurt into his mouth right from the cup. Yoghurt, too-syrupy pancake, blueberry. Gulp of coffee. Orange juice. Repeat. He is a little glad that no one is at home right now.

***

By the time Burt hears his son’s car pull into their driveway late that afternoon, he’s managed to come out of his pancake- and panic-induced coma, did some frantic googling (“what do I do if my son just told me he had sex?”) and a thorough analysis of Kurt’s three-sentence note. He’s now in his favourite armchair in the living room, pamphlet laid out on the coffee table in front of him, laptop in his lap. He’s calm, he’s collected, and there’s only a tiny whisper somewhere in the back of his mind demanding that he see with his own eyes that his kid really is okay and happy and in one piece. He doesn’t have to wait for long.

“Hi, Dad!” Kurt shouts cheerily from the hallway as he comes in, then promptly goes back to singing about loving someone ‘till the end of time, come what may.

“Hey, Kurt. In the living room,” he replies, and then Kurt is in the doorway, leaning one shoulder against the frame, eyes shining, talking a mile a minute. “I’ll just go to my room and change real quick and then I’ll come and get dinner going and I also have to study, but everything should be ready by the time Finn gets home from practice and…”

“Whoa, slow down, kiddo. Let your old man speak for a sec.”

Kurt smiles. “It’s good to have you home, Dad.”

“It’s good to be home. Own bed, home-cooked meals… Thank you for the pancakes this morning, Kurt. I really appreciated them.”

At that, Kurt _blushes,_ hard, his eyes immediately going to the floor. “You’re welcome, Dad. I really need to start roasting the sweet potatoes, though!” He rushes out, and proceeds to push himself away from the doorframe, gaze still downcast. 

Burt, however, raises his voice slightly to stop him from fleeing. “I appreciated the side of candour that the pancakes came with even more, Kurt,” he says, picking up the pamphlet from the coffee table. His son’s face couldn’t possibly get any redder at this point, but at least he looks up. “Oh, that.”

“That indeed.” Burt pats the arm of the sofa next to his armchair, and Kurt crosses the room to perch delicately on it, meeting his father’s gentle smile with a hesitant one of his own.

“Kurt, are you okay? Really okay?”

That, at least, the boy answers without missing a beat. “I’m okay, Dad. More than okay, actually.”

Just like that, Burt releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Right. That’s all I need to know, really. And that you used protection, but I’m sure you did?”

“It’s in the pamphlets. So… You’re not mad?”

“I’m not mad. I know you and I know Blaine, and I trust the two of you to be responsible about this. And I’m really proud of you, kid, for choosing to let me know about it. All I ask is that you continue to be open with me, even when it’s embarrassing or when you think I might be upset with you.”

The smile is a bit less hesitant now. “I can do that. Anything else?”

“Just… try not to get too caught up in the excitement of all these firsts you’re experiencing? It’s okay to enjoy it but remember the coffee dates and the emotional side of things, too, and remember communication. It’s wonderful to be able to express your emotions physically, but sometimes you just need to talk things out, okay?”

“Okay. Of course. Thanks, Dad.”

“Now go, season those sweet potatoes. Oh, and Kurt? We might need to buy a new bottle of maple syrup before the weekend.” Burt only chuckles at his son’s horrified gasp. He then glances at the pamphlet he’s still holding in his hand, and his chuckles turn into a smile as he re-reads his son's brief note. _These were exceedingly helpful. I also remembered what you said that time – that I matter. He was wonderful._

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and let me know what you thought! Always happy to take writing advice.


End file.
